The East Bay Ranks among the best in Quality of Life

The East Bay Economic Development Alliance just released a Quality of Life Study focusing for the region. Since the Bay Area (and California in general) will never be able to compete with other locations on cost alone, emphasizing our quality of life is a key strategy for advancing economic development.

Some of the advantages of doing business in the East Bay include:

1. High Walkability: San Leandro’s walkability score ranks in the top ten of 33 cities in the East Bay. Walkability, along with access to transit and bicycle infrastructure, is becoming increasingly important for workers, in particular for the younger generation.

2. Favorable Housing Availability and Cost: The East Bay housing market shows more flexibility and variety than neighboring counties. In 2014, the average price for a single family home in the East Bay is about half the price of a home in San Francisco or on the Peninsula, or about two-thirds the price in the South Bay.

3. Diverse and Educated Workforce: The East Bay’s world class educational resources result in the high educational attainment of our workforce, attracting employers and creating new job opportunities. 42% of working-age East Bay residents have earned at least a bachelor’s degree. This is comparable to other Bay Area counties and is substantially higher than the statewide rate of about 31%. The diversity score for the Bay Area is 0.84 compared with the 0.60 for the nation.

4. Non-profit Services: A robust network of services is critical to supporting good quality of life and demonstrates a high regional value on building and maintaining a nurturing community. There are more registered health and human services non-profit entities in the East Bay than in any other major sub-region in Northern California.

5. Connectivity and Mobility: The East Bay offers a broad array of public transit options, including commuter rail, bus, and ferry service. 30 of the 44 BART stations are located in the East Bay and the region boasts a robust network of highways, an international airport, and one of the largest seaports on the west coast.

6. Public Health and Wellness: The East Bay is home to one of the nation’s largest and highest-rated health organizations in Kaiser Permanente. The East Bay also offers over 75 health centers and clinics including La Clinica de la Raza, which is one of the largest community health centers in California. This access to healthcare will help keep employees at work and ensure productivity.